土 [tǔ] earth

【PINYIN】[tǔ]

【TRANSLATION】soil, earth; items made of earth

【FORMATION】象形，地面上的泥堆

【COINAGE】Pictograph, Mud heaps on the ground

【造字理据】

《説文》：土，地之吐生物者也。二象地之下、地之中，丨，物出形也。凡土之屬皆从土。

[白話：土，大地用以吐生万物的介质。上下两横的“二”，象地之下、地之中，中间的一竖“丨”，像植物从地面长出的样子。所有与土相关的字，都采用“土”作边旁。]

“_”是特殊指事字，代表混沌太初，也可以代表“天”，或代表“地”。土，甲骨文像是地平线上高耸的立墩。有的甲骨文在立墩上加三点指事符号，表示溅泥灰尘。有的甲骨文将立墩形象简化成一竖。本义：耸立在地面的泥墩。金文将甲骨文字形中的立墩形象写成实心的棱形。古匋字形将棱形写成似“十”非“十”的。篆文则将古匋的字形写成“十”。

【MOTIVATION】Tu is placed on the left or underneath; the group generally relates to things and kinds of earth; several characters are interchanged with 谷 and 阜, a few with 水 and 石; the component is called 踢土边 kicking-earth at-side, in allusion to its shape.

Man has always been dependent on the ground for subsistence. To him, earth(土) is represented by its two layers (二). the topsoil and subsoil from which growing plants sprout (丨). hence土: the good earth that produces all things for man. Pictured here are such "earthy" provisions.

In most cases this Component appears in the left part of a character, although it tends to appear in other parts as well. When it appears in the left part of a character, the horizontal stoke at the bottom of土is replaced by a rising stroke. The characters with 土are usually related to earth or soil.

【例字 EXAMPLES】

城[chéng] castle; city, town; municipality

会意。从土，从成，成亦声。本义：城墙。《说文》：以盛民也。从土从成，成亦声。

基[jī] foundation, base

形声。从土，其声。本义：墙基。《说文》：墙始也。从土其声。

座[zuò] seat; stand, base

形声。从广[yǎn]，坐声。“坐”的后起字。本义：座位。《说文》：止也。从土，从畱省。土，所止也。此与畱同意。

吐[tǔ][tù] vomit, spew out, cough up

形声；从口、土声，本义：动词，将嘴里含沙带土的食物唾出。

地 去 在 尘 场 址 坐 坡 堆 堤 境 走